Jen Psaki looks at how Donald Trump failed at what should have been the easiest assignment of his presidency, celebrating the 250th birthday of the United States. And Trump even managed to blow up the signing ceremony for what should have been a no-brainer, bipartisan, American-helping housing bill. But it was in his unhinged tweets that it became clear what was really on his mind. House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries discusses last night's primary elections, including the races in New York i...
Jun 25, 2026•41 min•Ep. 202606249
Jen Psaki talks with Senator Raphael Warnock about how voters in Georgia are standing up against Republican redistricting and Donald Trump's immigrant prison camp plans as Americans are increasingly aware that the only way to stop Trump is to stand up to him. Nancy Lacore was serving as a vice admiral in the U.S. Navy when she was fired as part of former weekend cable news host Pete Hegseth's anti-diversity purge of military leadership. But now Lacore is a promising new candidate for Congress, w...
Jun 24, 2026•41 min•Ep. 202606239
MS NOW's Michele Norris interviews former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama about their time in the White House and opening of the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago. To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising....
Jun 20, 2026•41 min
MS NOW's Michele Norris interviews former President Barack Obama about his time in office and the opening of his new presidential center in Chicago. To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Jun 20, 2026•43 min
Jen Psaki talks with former speech writers for President Barack Obama, Jon Favreau and Cody Keenan, about the significance of the Obama Presidential Center and how the messaging of hope and hard work contrasts with the bleak mood as Americans endure Donald Trump's corruption and mismanagement. Former President Barack Obama, in his remarks upon the opening of the Obama Presidential Center, tells the story of the origin of the now-famous quote, "The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends ...
Jun 19, 2026•43 min•Ep. 202606189
Former President Barack Obama has made permanent residence in Donald Trump's head for most of Trump's political life, and now, in the shadow of his failed war on Iran, the contrast between Trump's shortcomings and Obama's accomplishments only add to Trump's burden. Jen Psaki traces the roots of Trump's insecurity about Obama, and talks with House Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi. Senator Jon Ossoff lays into his new Republican opponent, Trumpy Rep. Mike Collins, and responds to Donald Trump's petty ...
Jun 18, 2026•42 min•Ep. 202606179
Donald Trump's sycophantic FBI director, Kash Patel, has reportedly caused a rift between the FBI and the Secret Service for impulsively posting to social media about an investigation that was still ongoing, part of a pattern of Patel being unable to restrain himself. Patel's embarrassment comes as he is newly accused of making payouts to his inner circle from a taxpayer funded slush fund. Senator Adam Schiff joins Jen Psaki to discuss. As Republican candidates wrestle over who can be Trumpier t...
Jun 17, 2026•41 min•Ep. 202606169
People gathered in person and online to witness the removal of Donald Trump's name from the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.. The Trump administration made last-ditch efforts to delay the removal. Ultimately, the courts pushed back. Former federal prosecutor Glenn Kirshner joins Jen to discuss. Following SpaceX's debut trading on the NASDAQ, Jen Psaki breaks down why you may end up boosting Elon Musk's net worth, whether you like it or not. Jen interviews Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger t...
Jun 13, 2026•41 min•Ep. 202606129
Jen Psaki looks at catastrophic polling data about how Americans feel about Donald Trump and his handling of issues like the economy and his war with Iran Jen also shares interviews from MS NOW reporter Alex Tabet with frustrated Trump voters who turning away from Trump. "They thought he was going to lower costs. They thought he was going to end the wars. They thought he was going to drain the swamp. They thought he was going to release the Epstein files. And now they're feeling pretty disillusi...
Jun 12, 2026•41 min•Ep. 202606119
A new report from the New York Times exposes the frantic response from Donald Trump's White House to protect Trump from fallout from the revelations in the Jeffrey Epstein files and his association with the notorious sex predator. Rep. Robert Garcia talks with Jen Psaki about what the report's revelations mean for the ongoing congressional investigation. In addition to bizarrely declaring his love for inflation, Donald Trump also announced that the U.S. is taking Iranian oil. Rep. Emilia Sykes t...
Jun 11, 2026•41 min•Ep. 202606109
Graham Platner, Democratic candidate for Senate from Maine, addresses his supporters in declaring victory in the Democratic primary, thanking them for his support, laying out his vision for the issues he hopes to champion on their behalf in Washington, D.C., and presenting a blistering criticism of Senator Susan Collins, his Republican opponent in the general election. Ali Velshi, MS NOW chief data reporter, breaks down primary election returns as they are reported. MS NOW's Alex Tabet shares hi...
Jun 10, 2026•50 min•Ep. 202606060
A report from the non-profit watchdog group Public Citizen points out that while Donald Trump insists that donations are paying for his vanity project ballroom, those donors are being granted federal contracts totaling more than $50 billion. Ruth Ben Ghiat, author of "Strongmen: Mussolini to the Present,” and Timothy L. O'Brien, senior executive editor of Bloomberg Opinion, discuss Donald Trump's corruption and how his behavior is typical of authoritarians, from trying to put his name and face o...
Jun 06, 2026•42 min•Ep. 202606059
While Democratic candidate for Senate, Graham Platner, has incorporated a story of personal redemption as part of his campaign persona, new details are illustrating just how dark the life was from which he was redeemed. Chris Hayes follows his interview with Platner with a discussion of how compromising the latest revelations are for Platner's candidacy. Donald Trump is ready to appoint his own criminal defense attorney as Attorney General, and let slip that he wants the DOJ investigating his 20...
Jun 05, 2026•42 min•Ep. 202606049
While it is not unusual for Donald Trump to appoint completely unqualified people to important jobs in his administration, his choice of Bill Pulte, a Mar-a-Lago suck-up who Trump had already gifted the position of director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, to be the new Director of National Intelligence is too far for many Republicans who are already dealing with the burden of association with Trump's unpopularity. Senator Adam Schiff, a former member of the House Intelligence Committee, d...
Jun 04, 2026•42 min•Ep. 202606039
Senator Jon Ossoff, a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, talks with Jen Psaki about the importance of his Senate race in Georgia to the Democrats' goal of retaking the majority, and shares his heated reaction to the news that Donald Trump is appointing Bill Pulte, director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, to replace Tulsi Gabbard as director of national intelligence. Jim Messina, former campaign manager for President Barack Obama's 2012 reelection campaign, and Addisu Demissie,De...
Jun 03, 2026•42 min•Ep. 202606029
Jen Psaki reviews the fresh string of legal failures Donald Trump has suffered, including a federal judge dropping the hammer on Trump's sketchy IRS "settlement" trick to give himself a $1.8 billion slush fund. Former U.S. attorney Preet Bharara joins to share legal insights. Rep. Suhas Subramanyam tells Jen Psaki about Pam Bondi's behind-closed-doors testimony about the Jeffrey Epstein files before the House Overnight Committee, saying she repeatedly placed the burden of how the release of the ...
May 30, 2026•42 min•Ep. 202605299
Jen Psaki shares reporting from Pro Publica that the White House played a direct role in helping a company in which Donald Trump Jr. is an investor. New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani talks with Jen Psaki on a range of issues from affordable housing to the New York Knicks and the World Cup, and directly addresses the threat by Donald Trump's Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin that he plans to shut down international flights to sanctuary cities. New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has en...
May 29, 2026•42 min•Ep. 202605289
Former Rep. Beto O'Rourk talks with Jen Psaki about why the political conditions in Texas may finally be right for Democrats to start flipping Senate seats. Donald Trump successfully lured the U.S. media into publishing headlines about another imminent peace deal with Iran over Memorial Day weekend, only for the deal to fall apart yet again and then days later the U.S. is firing more missiles despite the ongoing so-called ceasefire. Robert Malley, former special envoy to Iran, talks with Jen Psa...
May 28, 2026•43 min•Ep. 202605279
As Texas Republicans follow Donald Trump's direction and give a primary victory to deeply flawed candidate, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, Jim Messina, campaign manager for Barack Obama's 2012 reelection campaign, and Chuck Rocha, former senior advisor to the Bernie Sanders presidential campaign, talk with Jen Psaki about how the Republican Party's inability to break away from unpopular Trump is setting them up for and even more difficult midterm election. Ali Velshi offers insights from the...
May 27, 2026•43 min•Ep. 202605269
Donald Trump's avalanche of unpopular ideas and failures has Republican senators livid and turning against him. Even senators who have distinguished themselves as enthusiastic suck-ups to Trump are voicing concerns about Trump's slush fund and the hardships Trump's economy is imposing on the American people. Senator Richard Blumenthal joins to discuss. The $1,776,000,000 that Donald Trump wants to distribute to his criminal political allies does not come from an insurance policy or a corporate e...
May 22, 2026•41 min•Ep. 202605219
Jen Psaki points out that Republicans in Congress are increasingly losing their motivation to follow Donald Trump through his wildly unpopular vanity projects and destructive policies that are hurting Americans. On top of that are the number of lame duck legislators who ran afoul of Trump and lost primaries because of him and not have the rest of their term to exact payback as members of the "Yolo Caucus." Senator Sheldon Whitehouse joins to discuss Trump's slush fund as well as bizarre remarks ...
May 21, 2026•41 min•Ep. 202605209
Jen Psaki reports on a wild day in Republican politics as Rep. Thomas Massie was defeated in an insanely expensive Kentucky primary by a Trump-backed challenger. Massie's advocacy for the release of the Epstein files put him at odds with Trump. Senator John Cornyn committed no act of defiance against Trump, and, in fact, debased himself in a desperate appeal for Trump's favor, only to be stabbed in the back when Trump endorsed his exceptionally compromised opponent. Tim Miller, host of The Bulwa...
May 20, 2026•41 min•Ep. 202605199
Jen Psaki looks at the boasts and promises Donald Trump made on the campaign trail about how he would handle China and President Xi, and compares that to Trump's performance on an actual trip to China. Former U.S. ambassador to Russia, Michael McFaul, and former Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr discuss Donald Trump's underwhelming performance in his meeting with China's Presient Xi. Rep. Jamie Raskin talks with Jen about insider trading and elected officials, including the president, and wha...
May 16, 2026•42 min•Ep. 202605159
Jen Psaki shares new reporting from ABC News that Donald Trump is expected to settle his lawsuit against the IRS in exchange for a $1.5 billion slush fund for people he feels were persecuted by the Biden administration. Former FBI Director James Comey talks with Jen Psaki about the state of the FBI in the second Trump administration, the effect of Kash Patel's leadership on morale and the resilience of the FBI's culture to survive the deleterious conditions of the Trump administration. Senator C...
May 15, 2026•43 min•Ep. 202605149
Jen Psaki looks at the political convenience of JD Vance's new anti-fraud talking points as he struggles to demonstrate some relevance while the rest of the Trump administration goes to China. But too much attention on fraud is a particularly awkward thing for Trump, who is trying to find a way to force the IRS to give him billions of taxpayer dollars, and while he his own son, Eric, with business interests in China, has joined him in traveling to Beijing. Senator Mark Kelly joins to discuss the...
May 14, 2026•41 min•Ep. 202605139
Donald Trump's FBI directory, Kash Patel, testified before the Senator Appropriations Committee and faced more questions about reports of excessive drinking. Jen Psaki points out that despite Patel's umbridge in the face of questioning, before he became FBI director, he did not exactly keep his drinking a secret. Michael Feinberg, former FBI assistant special agent in charge, and award-winning journalist Tim Weiner join Jen Psaki to discuss the corrosive effects of Patel's leadership at the FBI....
May 13, 2026•42 min•Ep. 202605129
The Supreme Court's gutting of the Voting Rights Act followed closely by Virginia's supreme court rejecting their new redistricting has taken the wind out of Democratic sails, but the actual math and other political factors still favor Democrats re-taking the House in this year's elections. Dan Pfieffer, co-host of "Pod Save America," and Quentin Fulks, former Harris principal deputy campaign manager talk with Jen Psaki about why Democrats are in good shape to take the House and why the party's ...
May 09, 2026•41 min•Ep. 202605089
Jen Psaki shows members of the Trump administration failing desperately to address questions about the price of gas as polling shows an absolutely livid voting public. Former CIA director John Brennan talks with Jen Psaki about news reports on the war in Iran that contradict Donald Trump's boasts. Former Attorney General Eric Holder, chair of the National Democratic Redistricting Committee, talks with Jen Psaki about how Democrats should and can respond to Southern states eliminating Black congr...
May 08, 2026•42 min•Ep. 202605079
Jen Psaki reviews the shocking litany of political targeting by Donald Trump's Justice Department, from investigations and indictments to raids of political opponents led by disgraced FBI Director Kash Patel. Andrew Weissmann, former FBI general counsel, and Tim Weiner, author of "Enemies: A History of the FBI," discuss the level of disgrace Kash Patel has brought to the by-the-book FBI. Rep. Jamie Raskin joins to discuss how federal workers can use whistleblower protections to report instances ...
May 07, 2026•42 min•Ep. 202605069
Pete Buttigieg, former secretary of transportation and former mayor of South Bend, Indiana, talks with Jen Psaki about the burden of Donald Trump on Republican candidates, even in red states, and how politicians are recalibrating their approach to voters as Donald Trump loses both relevance and any popularity he once enjoyed. Dr. Amy Acton, Democratic candidate for governor of Ohio, talks with Jen about what she's hearing from voters in her state. Jen Psaki takes a closer look at how Donald Trum...
May 06, 2026•42 min•Ep. 202605059
